Development Greek battleship Salamis

georgios averof, acquired in 1909, first major component of greece s rearmament program

following greco-turkish war of 1897, during ottoman fleet had proved incapable of challenging greece s navy control of aegean sea, ottomans began naval expansion program, rebuilding several old ironclad warships more modern vessels. in response, greek government decided in 1905 rebuild fleet, @ time centered on 3 hydra-class ironclads of 1880s vintage. beginning in 1908, greek navy sought design proposals foreign shipyards. tenders vickers, of britain, small, 8,000-metric-ton (7,900-long-ton; 8,800-short-ton) battleships not taken up.

in 1911, constitutional change in greece allowed government hire naval experts other countries, led invitation of british naval mission. british officers recommended program of 2 12,000-metric-ton (12,000-long-ton; 13,000-short-ton) battleships , large armored cruiser; offers vickers , armstrong-whitworth submitted proposed battleships. vickers design smaller ship armed 9 10-inch (254 mm) guns, while armstrong-whitworth proposed larger ship armed 14-inch (356 mm) guns. greek government did not pursue these proposals. later in year, vickers issued several proposals smaller vessels had designed in 1908.

the initial step in greek rearmament program completed purchase of italian-built armored cruiser georgios averof in october 1909. ottomans, in turn, purchased 2 german pre-dreadnought battleships, kurfürst friedrich wilhelm , weissenburg, amplifying naval arms race between 2 countries. greek navy attempted buy 2 older french battleships, , when purchase failed materialize, tried unsuccessfully buy pair of british battleships. tried buy ships united states, rebuffed due concerns such sale alienate ottomans, whom americans had significant industrial , commercial interests. ottomans followed order of dreadnought reşadiye in august 1911, caused further anxiety in greece; expansion of ottoman naval power threatened greek control of aegean, greeks compelled follow suit or concede race.

reşadiye, after entering royal navy service hms erin, prompted order salamis

rear admiral lionel grant tufnell, head of british naval mission greece, advocated purchasing armored cruiser gerogios averof, along several smaller vessels , allocating funds modernizing greek naval base @ salamis; proposal supported prime minister eleftherios venizelos, sought control naval spending in tight greek budget projected 1912. plan came nothing, greek government waited arrival of british advisers salamis project. in 1912, greek navy convened committee in charge of acquiring new capital ship counter reşadiye, conceived battlecruiser. new ship limited displacement of 13,000 metric tons (13,000 long tons; 14,000 short tons), since largest vessel floating dry dock in piraeus accommodate. program finalized in march, , along new battlecruiser, greeks invited tenders destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, , depot ship support them.

competition these contracts significant; ten british, 4 french, 3 german, 3 american, 1 austrian, , 2 italian shipyards submitted proposals, britain s vickers , armstrong-whitworth submitting same designs proposed in 1911. tufnell part of committee overseeing process, found greeks opposed british designs. vickers withdrew competition, , armstrong s proposal higher other proposals. still, british had hopes of obtaining contract after number of british officers had been seconded greek navy in recent years. french yards, on other hand, complained british unfairly benefiting presence of naval mission. during competition, greek navy decided vickers hull design best, american guns, ammunition, , armor superior of british designs. in end, neither got contracts, negotiations between venizelos , german minister greece secured contracts germany.

in june 1912, greek navy selected tenders germany s ag vulcan 2 destroyers , 6 torpedo boats, completed in 3 4 months. exceptionally short timeframe accomplished through of german navy, allowed greeks take on german ships being constructed. contract price evidently low, 1 british firm complained not understand how vulcan make profit. then, 1 month later, greeks selected vulcan again construction of battlecruiser, armor , armament coming bethlehem steel in united states. british firms furious, again alleging impossible vulcan make profit on contract, , surmising german government subsidizing purchase foothold in shipbuilding market. greeks, part, countered british manufacturers colluding keep armor plate prices high, , able decrease costs ordering ship s armor in united states.

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